Craig Ison Punches Shark But Is Bitten, Unlike Recent Similar Attack

Australian surfer Mick Fanning speaks to the media during a press conference at All Sorts Sports Factory on July 21, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. Fanning escaped a shark attack in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa during the 2015 J-Bay Open. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The shark attack also damaged Ison's board, but the boxer was able to find it to paddle back to shore after the incident.

"He was badly bitten," friend Geoff Hill, who took the water with Ison, told the television station. "He was in shock. We put him on a surfboard for a stretcher, called the ambulance and applied the tourniquet, wrapped him up with a towel and covered the wounds ... and applied the best first aid we could on the beach.

"I helped him out of the water. His first words were, 'get a tourniquet on my leg,' so we used a leg rope."

Authorities in the meantime told the media Hill and people near the scene reacted quickly and likely saved Ison's life on the beach.

"Those people are to be praised for their quick thinking, particularly those injuries that needed to be stopped (from) the blood loss and looked like they've saved this man's life," detective inspector Cameron Lindsay told the Australian Broadcast Corp., noted 9 News.

The New South Wales Police Force ordered Main Beach along with Shark Bay and Chinamans Beach closed until 6.30 a.m. Saturday morning where the closure order will be re-evaluated.